1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dispensing devices and more particularly to an improved cotton swab dispensing device that stores and delivers cotton swabs in a sanitary manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Invention and use of cotton swab dispensing devices is well known in the prior art.
Stawski U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,472 discloses a portable dispensing apparatus for dispensing a sterile unpacked medical swab and a moisturizing charge of a liquid medium. A package member for storing the swab as one of a plurality of stacked swabs. The package, received and supported by the apparatus, having bottom supporting structure for the swabs and both a rear cutout to allow passage of a pivotal dispensing lever and a front exit to dispense upon lever movement, the swab from the package and from an aligned dispensing slot in the apparatus.
Lemoine U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,730 discloses a plastic shipping and dispensing container for cotton swabs that has a T-section at the bottom of the container front panel that at the shipping destination is readily removed to form a dispensing opening for the cotton swabs.
However, both of the above described prior art devices provide a large holding bin in which all swabs are stored in contact with one another. While this configuration maximizes the storage capacity of the device, it is not sanitary or sterile, which is undesirable for cotton swab uses. Castner, Sr. et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,637 discloses a package for marketing and vending strips of cotton swabs. The package has a cardboard backed tray like blister package with a flap on the backing covering a dispensing opening and forming a bottom for the package. While this configuration allows the swabs to be separated from one another because they are spaced apart on strips, it is still limited in that the dispenser is not refillable, thus wasting a good deal of packaging and increasing the cost of the swabs and dispenser.
Castner Sr. et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,857 discloses a refillable vendor or dispenser for cotton swabs releasably carried cross-wise on an elongated flexible tape wound about itself to form a roll has a plurality of mating components releasably held together to define a chamber receiving the roll for rotation about a horizontal axis. The upper portion of the chamber has a chute receiving the leading end of the roll and discharging through a slot to an external lip supporting the exposed tape from which a swab is easily picked off of the tape. A finger hole overlaying the chute provides for the pushing of the stick portions of the swabs to successively advance the tape beyond the discharge slot. The discharge slot has a severing edge to tear off that portion of the tape projecting beyond the discharge outlet.
However, both of Caster's prior art devices are limited in that they provide no means by which to automatically release swabs from the strip, thus requiring that the swabs be manually grasped by the cotton portion and manually pealed away from the strip. This procedure may result in contamination of the swab, and is therefore undesirable.
Thus there is a clear need for an improved, refillable cotton swab dispensing device that automatically dispenses swabs in an easily accessible manner so as to minimize contamination of the swab. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.